According to The New York Times, a “very interesting” event will occur at his Manhattan headquarters on Monday when 100 black pastors and religious leaders plan to endorse his candidacy for the presidency.
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Republican U.S. presidential candidate businessman Donald Trump gives a thumbs up near the end of the 2016 U.S. Republican presidential candidates debate held by CNBC in Boulder, Colorado, October 28, 2015.
Pastor Darrell Scott, a pastor from the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland, organized the meeting and took responsibility for what he deemed a “miscommunication”. After they objected, the Trump campaign chose to keep the meeting private and quietly cancel a press conference meant to announce their support.
Other ministers invited were Bishop Orrin Pullings Sr. of the United Nations Church International in Queens; Bishop Clarence McClendon of Los Angeles’ Full Harvest International Church; and the Rev. Kerney Thomas, a BET televangelist.
Facebook was also the medium chosen by Bishop Corletta Vaughn, who is not only Senior Pastor of The Holy Ghost Cathedral but also a star of the Oxygen reality series “Preachers of Detroit”, and she was abrupt and to the point when she wrote, “Trump is an insult and embarrassment”.
“Everything matters. When you’re trying to become the president of the United States it’s so important that you try to address all groups that are represented in these United States of Americans”, said Burns.
These actions are more than likely the main reasons why black pastors are reluctant to endorse Donald Trump for President. I want to see and I want [to] hear his heart’. “They told me, ‘I don’t know if I’m ready to endorse yet”.
A campaign press release said that a number of attendees were still expected to endorse Trump after their meeting, but that the event would be closed to the press.
Hezekiah Walker – a popular gospel singer and pastor of a Brooklyn megachurch Love Fellowship Tabernacle – posted a scathing note to Instagram saying that he would not be attending the meeting.
On Sunday afternoon, Mr Trump announced on Twitter that Monday’s meeting would not include a press conference.
The announcement has been met with criticism from some black pastors given that it came days after a Black Lives Matter activist was physically assaulted at a Trump rally.
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Scott said that he advised Trump during a meeting to tone down his rhetoric and that the real-estate mogul agreed.
